Wave optics of quantum gravity for massive particles

TL;DR

This paper explores how quantum gravitational fluctuations affect the propagation of massive particles, showing they cause decoherence of matter waves without scattering, especially significant for Planck-mass particles but negligible for real particles.

Contribution

It provides concrete predictions for quantum gravity effects on matter wave decoherence in Minkowski space-time, despite the lack of a complete quantum gravity theory.

Findings

Gravitational potential fluctuations cause matter wave decoherence.

Decoherence is significant for Planck-mass particles.

Effect is negligible for real, finite-sized particles.

Abstract

Effects of the quantum gravity under Minkowski space-time background are considered. It is shown that despite the absence of the complete theory of quantum gravity, some concrete predictions could be made for the influence of the quantum gravitational fluctuations on the propagation of the massive particles. We demonstrate that although the gravitational potential fluctuations do not produce particle scattering, they cause decoherence of the matter waves due to off-shell effects. For point-like massive particles of the Planck mass order, the effect is considerable. However, this type of decoherence is beyond the measurable possibility for the real particles of the finite size.